They call it the bottleneck, a zone of death on K2, the second highest mountain in the world.
The peak, by most estimates, is the world's most dangerous for climbers. K2 has a far higher death rate among climbers than the more famous Everest.
The bottleneck is the most difficult part for mountaineers who try to reach the summit of the 8,611m peak, known for its long, fearsome ascents and deadly, changeable weather conditions.
It is situated in a narrow gully, or couloir, with steep sides and is covered in seracs, or blocks of glacial ice, that come from the ice field east of the summit.
Situated 400m from the summit, the couloir requires climbers to traverse an area of jagged ice for about 100m, where any misstep could prove fatal.
The last stretch of the climb is called the “death zone”, since few people can survive for long beyond this point.
One of the most recent deaths was mountain porter Muhammad Hassan, who perished on July 27, in the last few hundred metres of the climb, allegedly abandoned by fellow climbers despite being mortally injured.
A group of climbers led by record-breaking mountaineer Kristin Harila and Nepali Tenjin Sherpa were accused by some of leaving him to die, but last week they were cleared by a Pakistani inquiry of any wrongdoing. They said they tried everything they could to help Hassan, who was dangling upside down on a rope before suffering fatal injuries in a fall.
Ahmed Hussain, an expert climber who made the ascent, says Hassan’s tragic story is not as simple as one of abandonment. He points to the nearly impossible conditions at altitudes close to the cruising altitude of most commercial airliners.
Numerous mountaineers have lost their lives at the bottleneck in recent years.
Mr Hussain is one of the members of the team who recently reached the summit of K2 and had met Hassan on previous expeditions.
Mr Hussein told The National that several mountaineers on K2 died in recent years and their bodies remain at the same point.
Mr Hussain said that in 2007, 11 people died in the death zone during their attempt to climb the mountain. In February 2020, famous mountaineer Ali Sadpara and another foreign climber were lost there and their bodies had to be abandoned because they could not be brought down.
Mr Hussein said that in 2021, a foreign climber died near Camp 2 when he fell during a heavy snowfall.
Do-or-die battle
“Crossing the bottleneck is a do-or-die battle. A climber can’t put too much weight on the snow since one may go down into it. Also, the terrain is very narrow. Another serious problem is that too much cold can result in blood clots in the body, resulting in the death of a mountaineer,” Mr Hussain said.
He also denied that they intentionally left Hassan to die. He said it was impossible to carry a casualty back to base camp, because the terrain is too dangerous to traverse, which is why anyone unable to stand is often left in the bottleneck.
In October 2017, American climber and adventurer Vanessa O'Brien told Voice of America that mountain climbers are aware of changes to the body at altitudes above 8,000m, near the stratosphere.
She said the oxygen levels are greatly reduced and mountaineers frequently experience serious high altitude sickness. That can involve extreme mental confusion and dizziness, even swelling of the brain.
A frequent risk above 2,500m, high altitude sickness would be dangerous enough on K2 without the added challenge of fearsome, icy rock faces, bitingly cold winds and, occasionally, deadly avalanches.
Syed Anwar Ali, a supervisor for Laila Peak – the company that organised the expedition for Hassan and other porters – told The National that most fatalities on K2 occurred in the bottleneck.
“Before Hassan, the known mountaineer Sadpara and others also died in the death zone. In 2008, 11 people were trying to cross the death zone when they were buried alive by an avalanche,” he said.
Anwar Ali further said that the bottleneck is risky because of several factors, including its narrow path on which a mountaineer has to tightly hold a rope with one hand and an ice-axe in the other hand while also trying to walk slowly to avoid falling and disappearing in deep snow.
Retrieving a body from the death zone
Authorities and mountaineers say they are forming a team to recover Hassan's body. However, some say it is all but impossible to recover bodies from the death zone.
An anonymous official from Shigar district said that some mountaineers were now trying to earn money and were demanding large sums of money in return for recovering Hassan’s body.
“One team demanded Rs20 million ($65,000) for this rescue mission to bring down Hassan’s body, but this is a huge amount,” he said.
“Hassan’s body is stuck in the bottleneck,” Mr Anwar Ali, the expedition organiser, said.
“Before him, Sadpara also lost his life in the death zone, but his body was a little bit more reachable compared with the place where Hassan’s body is stuck. It means Hassan is stuck in a more dangerous place than that of Sadpara.
“Ali Sadpara’s son and mountaineer Sajid Sadpara and a team went to fetch his father’s body, but he could only bring it to camp four, where he buried his father’s body because he could not bring it down any further.”
Assistant Commissioner of Shigar district Hamza Murad told The National that climbing is very risky at the start of August because of the harsh weather. But he said they had decided to send a team to recover Hassan’s body because it had become such a high-profile case.
“As per estimates, this mission may cost Rs5 million,” he said.
“The team will determine whether they can retrieve the body this time or, if they cannot do so now, maybe we will attempt it next year when weather is favourable,” he added.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
England XI for second Test
Rory Burns, Keaton Jennings, Ben Stokes, Joe Root (c), Jos Buttler, Moeen Ali, Ben Foakes (wk), Sam Curran, Adil Rashid, Jack Leach, James Anderson
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Race results:
1. Thani Al Qemzi (UAE) Team Abu Dhabi: 46.44 min
2. Peter Morin (FRA) CTIC F1 Shenzhen China Team: 0.91sec
3. Sami Selio (FIN) Mad-Croc Baba Racing Team: 31.43sec
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The five pillars of Islam
More on Quran memorisation:
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Lamsa
Founder: Badr Ward
Launched: 2014
Employees: 60
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: EdTech
Funding to date: $15 million
OIL PLEDGE
At the start of Russia's invasion, IEA member countries held 1.5 billion barrels in public reserves and about 575 million barrels under obligations with industry, according to the agency's website. The two collective actions of the IEA this year of 62.7 million barrels, which was agreed on March 1, and this week's 120 million barrels amount to 9 per cent of total emergency reserves, it added.
THE BIO:
Favourite holiday destination: Thailand. I go every year and I’m obsessed with the fitness camps there.
Favourite book: Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. It’s an amazing story about barefoot running.
Favourite film: A League of their Own. I used to love watching it in my granny’s house when I was seven.
Personal motto: Believe it and you can achieve it.
Which honey takes your fancy?
Al Ghaf Honey
The Al Ghaf tree is a local desert tree which bears the harsh summers with drought and high temperatures. From the rich flowers, bees that pollinate this tree can produce delicious red colour honey in June and July each year
Sidr Honey
The Sidr tree is an evergreen tree with long and strong forked branches. The blossom from this tree is called Yabyab, which provides rich food for bees to produce honey in October and November. This honey is the most expensive, but tastiest
Samar Honey
The Samar tree trunk, leaves and blossom contains Barm which is the secret of healing. You can enjoy the best types of honey from this tree every year in May and June. It is an historical witness to the life of the Emirati nation which represents the harsh desert and mountain environments
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
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Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Overview
Cricket World Cup League Two: Nepal, Oman, United States tri-series, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu
Fixtures
Wednesday February 5, Oman v Nepal
Thursday, February 6, Oman v United States
Saturday, February 8, United States v Nepal
Sunday, February 9, Oman v Nepal
Tuesday, February 11, Oman v United States
Wednesday, February 12, United States v Nepal
Tonight's Chat on The National
Tonight's Chat is a series of online conversations on The National. The series features a diverse range of celebrities, politicians and business leaders from around the Arab world.
Tonight’s Chat host Ricardo Karam is a renowned author and broadcaster who has previously interviewed Bill Gates, Carlos Ghosn, Andre Agassi and the late Zaha Hadid, among others.
Intellectually curious and thought-provoking, Tonight’s Chat moves the conversation forward.
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RESULT
RS Leipzig 3
Marcel Sabitzer 10', 21'
Emil Forsberg 87'
Tottenham 0
Results
5pm: Al Falah – Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,200m; Winner: Bshara, Richard Mullen (jockey), Salem Al Ketbi (trainer)
5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,400m; Winner: AF Musannef, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
6pm: Al Dhafra – Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: AF Mualami, Antonio Fresu, Abubakar Daud
6.30pm: Al Khaleej Al Arabi – Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Hawafez, Adrie de Vries, Abubakar Daud
7pm: Al Mafraq – Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: JAP Almahfuz, Royston Ffrench, Irfan Ellahi
7.30pm: Al Samha – Handicap (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Celestial Spheres, Patrick Cosgrave, Ismail Mohammed
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
THE SPECS
Engine: Four-cylinder 2.5-litre
Transmission: Seven-speed auto
Power: 165hp
Torque: 241Nm
Price: Dh99,900 to Dh134,000
On sale: now
UAE finals day
Friday, April 13
Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
3pm, UAE Conference: Dubai Tigers v Sharjah Wanderers
6.30pm, UAE Premiership: Dubai Exiles v Abu Dhabi Harlequins
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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The specs
Engine: 3.5-litre V6
Power: 272hp at 6,400rpm
Torque: 331Nm from 5,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.7L/100km
On sale: now
Price: Dh149,000
